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What can students expect from virtual classes at Lafayette Online Academy? Find answers here

Leigh Guidry
Lafayette Daily Advertiser
Lafayette Parish families have the option of virtual distance learning through the Lafayette Online Academy.

Parents, guardians and school board members want to know about parental involvement, technology requirements, enrichment classes and other issues their children would face this fall if they stay home to learn at the Lafayette Online Academy.

And Lafayette school leaders offered answers during a live Q&A with the academy's director Tuesday night.

The virtual academy is an option for Lafayette Parish School System students, and 4,500 students have applied so far. That is leaps and bounds beyond past years' enrollment. At this time last year there were 250 students. 

Tuesday's event offered an opportunity to answer questions and help families decide how they want their children to start the school year. 

Here's a look at questions asked and answers given during the hour-and-a-half-long discussion.

Q: What's different about the academy's virtual school and what students would do in Phase 1 when classes would go fully online?

A: The two are completely separate, Chief Academic Officer Mark Rabalais and academy Director Jarrett Coutee explained. The online academy uses Edgenuity curriculum and instructors via pre-recorded videos. Should the school system move to its Phase 1 model in response to high COVID-19 activity, students would receive instruction and assignments from their teachers and use the same curriculum they began the year with, such as Guidebooks for English or Eureka Math.

The Lafayette Parish School Board is hosting a live Q&A about the Lafayette Online Academy, a fully virtual option for starting the school year, Tuesday at 6 p.m.

Q: What is the application process for Lafayette Online Academy? 

A: Families fill out applications online at Applications are sent to a student's "base school" — where the student is currently enrolled. A school committee contacts parents to make a group decision about whether the student would be successful at the academy. Coutee said applications are being organized now, and parents should be contacted by their base schools in the next few weeks. Just applying to the academy does not remove a student from their enrolled school. The application deadline is Aug. 3.

Q: What's the parent's role in education at Lafayette Online Academy?

A: Parents are considered their child's learning coach and are expected to closely monitor their child's progress. Coutee called it a "serious commitment," as student success is heavily dependent upon parent and guardian involvement in their child's daily learning. For K-6 students, it is recommended that an adult be physically present with the children through daily course activities. It is considered a three-person approach that includes the student, parent and teacher.

Q: What does a typical day at Lafayette Online Academy look like?

A: Students in K-8 grade can expect to work about 5-6 hours a day on average, including short breaks. High school students can expect to work about 7-8 hours per day. Students are expected to take detailed notes on activities. They work at their own pace but must follow their assignment calendar. Online quizzes and tests will be taken at home. High-schoolers follow a block schedule, in which they take four courses in the fall and four in the spring. This can impact their schedule if they return to their base school in the spring.

More:With Lafayette school system return-to-school plan out, families face tough decisions

Q: What courses do students take?

A: Students in K-2 will be enrolled in English and math. Science and social studies would be offered as enrichment. Students in grades 3-5 will be enrolled in P.E. and their core courses — math, reading/language, science and social studies. Middle school students will be enrolled in P.E. and core courses, which are math, English language arts, science and social studies. High school students will follow their diploma pathway and work with counselors to determine their courses. Dual enrollment classes are not offered. A limited number of Advanced Placement classes are offered.

Q: How do truancy laws work and how is attendance taken? 

A: Attendance is timestamped and monitored by student activity, Coutee said. Students are given a daily quota to meet, which might be a number of videos to watch and quizzes to complete. If the quota is not met, that is a day absent. But as it is a self-paced program, work can be made up by the following Monday. If it is not made up by then, the absence stands. These progress goals are clearly spelled out in the program, he said. And the academy abides by the system's truancy laws, Coutee said.

Q: Do students need their own device? Are certain types required?

A: Parents are encouraged to provide the device, but they can reach out to their base school to obtain one. Chromebooks are preferred, but the programs work on most devices, including iPads.

Q: Is there an academy supply list? Are workbooks or printables provided?

A: No, everything is online. For K-5, there are some consumables, but they will be provided.

Q: Can online academy students attend athletic P.E.?

A: District Athletic Director Nic Jeffers said this is something his staff is working on, but are unsure because of the impact of capacity limits at each school. 

Acadiana Wreckin' Rams head basketball coach Nic Jeffers, shown here last year, has been named the Lafayette Parish School System athletic director.

Q: Does the online academy use video conferencing or offer live instruction? 

A: It is not live instruction, but rather self-guided education. There will not be video conferencing or Zoom calls. It is operated through Edgenuity's platform, which is an "independent, self-drive student platform," Rabalais said. Instructional videos are pre-recorded.

Q: How will Lafayette Online Academy  students be supported?

A: There will be certified teachers who can support students via email, phone calls and video calls. Each base school will have an online teacher for support. Superintendent Irma Trosclair said her staff members are asking principals to identify an academy facilitator for that campus.

More:See the Lafayette Parish School System's return-to-school plan

Q: Will online academy students have access to district grab-and-go meals?

A: Yes. They will be available for pick-up at students' base schools. Schedules and further details will be released soon.

Superintendent Irma Trosclair -Lafayette Parish School Board holds virtual meeting as the stay at home order remains in effect. Wednesday, April 15, 2020.

Q: Can academy students switch to base schools during the school year?

A: Students who choose to start this school year at the online academy must remain with it through Jan. 8. They can transition to their base schools Jan. 11. However, student progress will be monitored throughout the year and assessed at the end of each nine-week grading period. Based on this, a student could be allowed to transition to a base school earlier if necessary. "We don't want a student who is really struggling with the virtual setting to be forced to stay there."

Q: Can students leave their base school for the online academy during the year?

A: Yes, students can move to the academy anytime during the school year, Coutee said. Trosclair encourages families to apply ahead of the Aug. 3 deadline to allow the district to properly staff the academy and base schools, as staffing depends on enrollment. 

Q: How does the online academy curriculum compare to traditional schools?

A: Coutee said Edgenuity is very rigorous, as is the nature of an online course. It is ranked by the state as Tier 3 as opposed to the Tier 1-ranked curriculum the district has adopted. The tiers refer to how aligned they are to state standards and standardized tests, with Tier 1 being the most aligned. Coutee said Edgenuity is approved by the state as an online course provider.

Q: What is the grading policy at Lafayette Online Academy?

A: Students can retake quizzes, tests and assignments, but it is not automatic. Teachers assess students' progress and reteach before they can retake something.

Q: What is the athletic eligibility policy?

A: Students must meet all other Louisiana High School Athletic Association eligibility requirements, such as living in the school zone of their base school.

Q: How will LEAP testing work?

A: In the past, the online academy proctored the standardized tests in the school system's Central Office, which worked well for its number of students. Coutee foresees having to test at base schools this year as enrollment has grown significantly. 

Q: Where will kindergarten testing take place this year?

A: Kindergarten testing will take place at students' base schools.

Q: Will the online academy offer the Accelerated Reader program?

A: It is not available for online academy students, Coutee said. But Trosclair said the district will look into whether there is a way to offer it.

Q: Will Gifted and Talented classes be offered at Lafayette Online Academy?

A: All G/T students in grades 1-8 can receive enrichment courses at the academy. Decisions about coursework and placement will be discussed in IEP meetings with parents and school officials. Whether they would be received on campus or online will be determined case by case, depending on what would meet students' needs, officials said. Options include services on campus, virtual resources or tangible resources sent home.

Q: Will accommodations be provided for special education students?

A: LPSS teachers are being trained in different practices to provide students with disabilities, Special Education Director Holly Ortego said. Staff also is being trained to provide services virtually. 

Q: Can Jump Start diploma pathway students take career and technical courses at the online academy? Can they take courses at the district's career center?

A: Career in technical courses offered at the online academy are limited primarily to business management. It has not yet been determined if students will be able to take the hands-on courses at the career center this year, Career and Technical Education Director Larry Alexander said. Trosclair said her staff is looking into this.

Q: Will online academy enrollment be capped?

A: Coutee does not foresee that.

Q: How do children participate in extracurriculars like band or cheer?

A: Coutee said families should contact their base schools about how this will work.

TV5MONDE, a French-language entertainment channel, is currently airing a video by Zachary Richard featuring French immersion students from several Louisiana schools singing a song titled “J’ai une chanson dans mon coeur,” which was written and performed by the students.

Q: Will the online academy offer language immersion programs?

A: The academy does not provide an immersion environment, Coutee said, but students would have access to language enrichment programs. The school system also will make available academic resources for each immersion program — Chinese, French and Spanish — via Google Classroom. These are free tools that can be accessed at home without needing the target language to use them, World Language Specialist Tia LeBrun said. Students will not lose their spots in the immersion program, but those in first-grade and up will be required to take a language assessment to determine reentry into the program next year.